Earlier Revelations
by Insomniac-Reader
Summary: PG for now. Set before RoTG, Numair and Daine are having trouble revealing their feelings for one another. I will eventually add a solid plot, but for now... DN fluff forever! COMPLETE
1. Forbidden Love

Consider it DISCLAIMED. You guys all know which are mine and which aren't.

Author's Note: Well, I have finally been able to get my idea down into words, well the first chapter anyways. I hope I get the same enthusiasm with reviews as I did my last story. Enjoy.

Chapter 1:

Daine lay asleep in an infirmary bed sweating with a fever; her breaths were coming short and ragged. Numair sat on the edge of her bed; one hand clasped tightly around one of Daine's, and another across her brow checking to see if her fever had improved. It had not. Lindhall stood at the foot of Daine's bed frowning worriedly at the fifteen year old. He had come back with the Tortallians when they departed from Carthak earlier that year.

"The illness is embedded within her magic," Lindhall began. "It's beyond any healer's capabilities here. We just have to hope she improves through her own strength."

Numair tried to still a tear, "I just wish there was something I can do..."

Lindhall held up his hand, urging Numair to silence, "When you are not here to comfort her, the illness flares up causing her to shape shift uncontrollably, which drains her strength. She needs all the strength she can get and when you are here, she seems calmer."

Numair looked up at his former teacher, his eyes weary with worry. "What do you mean?"

"Your presence seems to stabilize her condition." Lindhall answered.

Numair released his hands from Daine and stood up, suddenly interested in what Lindhall had to say. "Well that could be caused by a number of things. For instance, I placed a magical shield within Daine's consciousness that separates her from madness. Perhaps I have created a bond between us that is active when I come near. A magical bond."

"I believe you are correct about a magical bond, but not in the magical sense that you are thinking."

Numair frowned, "I am not your student anymore Lindhall. You can't keep giving me lessons to decipher in riddles."

Lindhall shook his head and decided to change the subject, "Numair you need something to eat, come with me to the kitchens, I am sure someone will be eager to whip us up something..."

"But I thought I stabilized her condition, is it really okay for me to leave her?"

"She can't shape shift in her sleep Numair, she will be fine for now, you can risk taking a break for some soup and bread."

"Alright," Numair sighed "But I want to come right back and be here when she awakens." Numair then bent down to kiss Daine lightly on the forehead and whispered in her ear, "hang in there magelet." Lindhall led Numair out of the room by his arm. Numair halted outside the door.

"I really think someone should be here, I think I'll stay..."

Lindhall signaled for a healer to go inside with the wildmage, "There, now she isn't alone and you can get something to eat. You haven't been eating too well since your student became ill."

"I care for her safety, that's all. I would be very upset to lose such an energetic student so willing to learn." Numair argued.

Lindhall raised his eyebrow in confusion; "I was simply making a statement, what made you think you had to defend yourself at the cause of your change in appetite?"

"I wasn't defending anyone!" Numair defended.

Lindhall cracked a smile "There you go defending yourself again."

Numair let out an exasperated groan. "Lindhall, you make me feel as if I was fourteen again, being talked down to like that." The teacher and former student quickened their gait the rest of the way to the mess hall.

Upon entering the hall, Numair couldn't help but notice a gathering of teenage boys surrounding Perin, the clerk. Perin had always angered Numair, but he didn't know why. Feelings of resentment for the young man began when he decided to advance inappropriately on Daine, trying to win her affections. "I'm just being protective, that's all" Numair said to himself.

Lindhall gave Numair a quizzical look at the sudden outburst, but quickly decided to disregard it. After a few moments of slowly pacing the mess hall, Numair spoke up. "How about I get us some food, and you find a place to sit?"

"Sounds okay to me, I suppose. Hurry up though, I am starving, oh and while you're there, tell the cooks to bring broth or something up to Daine in the infirmary. We'll try to get her to eat something once she regains consciousness." Lindhall gave Numair a reassuring pat on the shoulder and walked to find somewhere to dine.

Numair strolled towards where food was being served, but couldn't help but passing by the group of young men first. They were all listening intently to Perin as he boasted about something. Numair decided to cast a listening spell so he could hear the conversation without being too obvious.

"Did you lay with her?" One of the youths asked.

"Several times," winked Perin. "She keeps coming back for more, she definitely is there to please."

Numair had an idea of whom he was talking about, but didn't want to create an uproar based on a suspicion. He decided to keep listening.

Another youth had a question for the fair-haired clerk. "Are her animals a problem? The wildmage has lots of animals around her all the time."

Numair now knew that they were indeed talking about Daine. His face went red in fury knowing that Daine had never slept with Perin. He caught him kissing her a few times, but Daine would always dismiss him. Numair was furious. He charged up to the group of youths, they parted for Numair knowing that he was an important man. Numair clenched his hand into a fist and swung for the clerk. He hit him square in the nose, with enough force to push him back on the floor. Blood was pouring out of his nostrils, as Perin was struggling to catch the blood, (hoping to push it back into his broken nose) Numair bent down close to him. "I know that you didn't do anything with Daine that you admitted to these boys. I want you to admit that you lied and then apologize to Daine when she is well enough to accept it. If you continue to parade around announcing that Daine was no more then a common whore then I will break more then your nose next time. Got it?" Perin could only nod and stifle a cry. When Numair stood up to signal the end of the conversation Perin scurried away, with two of his friends in tow.

Forgetting about a good meal, and blinded by anger, Numair decided to go back and see Daine. Without giving anyone even a second glance he stormed out of the mess hall and headed in the direction of the infirmary. Lindhall was quickly trying to follow the infuriated mage, as soon as he caught up he ran in front of Numair, halting him mid stride. "What happened back there?" Lindhall demanded.

"I was just dealing with a boy who's mother never taught him good manners."

"And you think breaking that boy's nose is a demonstration of good manners? You must practice what you preach."

Numair gently guided Lindhall out of the way and continued on his path. "He angered me!"

"Oh did he?" Lindhall said quickening his gait, "And do you do that to everyone that makes you angry?"

"He was saying things he shouldn't about Daine." Numair argued.

"You love her, don't you?" That was the blow that made Numair stop in his tracks. He was silent for a moment, trying to recover from that attack.

"She's my student Lindhall," Numair whispered "I can't love her..."

"But you do!" Lindhall accused. Numair, his back to his former teacher sighed and continued on his way. Lindhall was left to stare as the six and a half foot shadow walk away from him.

Upon entering the infirmary Numair was glad to see Daine sitting up in bed trying to eat some broth. This had been the most she had done in days since coming down with unicorn fever. Daine beamed up at Numair, Numair returned her affections with a toothy grin. He walked over to her bed and bent down to wrap her up into a warm embrace. "We were so worried about you magelet! You don't know how glad I am to see that you are up and about."

Daine pulled away from Numair gingerly, still feeling very weak. She gave Numair a knowing smile, hinting that she knew something. "What is it Daine?"

"I could ask you the same question!" retorted the brunette. "Why did you punch him?"

Numair gently caressed his knuckles; he could still feel the impact of when he impaled Perin. "How did you find out that fast?"

"Where do you think people with broken noses would get tended to dolt?" Daine laughed.

Numair smiled sheepishly; of course he would have come here to see a healer. "Sorry, I'm not thinking well as of late."

"You still haven't answered my question, why did you break his nose?" Daine asked again, a little more demanding.

Numair sat down at the edge of Daine's bed. He put one hand gently over hers, and gave it a gentle squeeze. "He was bragging about stuff that wasn't true, and even if it was true the things he said shouldn't have been announced in public."

"About me?"

Numair looked puzzled "How'd you...?"

"When Perin came here to be treated, he gave me a hasty apology and told me what he did. Perin doesn't apologize without the proper motivation master mage." Daine said beaming with pride at out smarting her teacher.

Numair laughed and bent to give Daine a kiss, but stopped what he was doing and leaned to hug her instead. It was torture not being able to kiss and hold her like other men would, like Perin. "I got angry, but at least I didn't tear down half of the palace in my rage."

"You will never let that go will you?" Daine asked. Numair answered her question with a mischievous grin. A healer interrupted their conversation, bringing with her herbs and other remedies.

"Master mage, your student may have come out of a fever, but she is still weak and needs her rest. Come and see her later." Said the healer, urging Numair out with a shooing motion.

Numair let out an exasperated sigh, but obliged. You never argue with a healer. "Alright, but make sure you return my student soon, she has a lot to catch up on."

Numair left the infirmary feeling a lot better. He always felt better after seeing Daine, she made everything brighter for him. Suddenly a voice sounded behind him, "You know holding in feelings is a dangerous thing, especially love."

Numair turned to find Lindhall looking into his eyes. "You should tell her, it would make you feel a lot better."

"Tell her?! Easier said then done. I don't want to lose her Lindhall, you can't begin to imagine the kind of heartache I would suffer if she refused to talk to me again because she doesn't feel the same way!"

"I hardly believe that would be the outcome Numair. I thought as a teacher that I taught you common sense, you seem to have easily forgotten." Lindhall turned down the hall to leave Numair with his thoughts.

"Mithros, tell her? She would not want an old man like me." Numair mumbled to himself.

Author's Note: I will eventually add more of a plot to this story, but first DN fluff! That is what I like to read. Well enjoy the chapter, this fanfic won't be a long one, so don't expect anything 30 chapters long.


	2. Lady Daetora

Author's Note: Well I hope the first chapter was well liked, here is the second chapter to my second story. Review; don't be afraid to tell me what you think. Oh and thank you to all who reviewed the first chapter, I really appreciate it! I'm glad that Lindhall was a big hit, I was nervous about him.

Chapter 2

Daine was feeling very weak after coming out of her illness. It feels like I haven't eaten in days, she thought to herself, "which I haven't," she giggled out loud. She had been stuck in an infirmary bed for two days now, and wanted to regain her strength by walking around a bit, her muscles felt like mush. Daine had awoken two days prior when Perin the clerk came into the infirmary screaming for a healer. Daine later found out that he had a broken nose because her teacher became very over protective of her.

Daine had decided to approach Numair, since she hadn't been able to finish a conversation with him when a healer shooed him out. She wished the healer hadn't done that; she really liked Numair being with her. As if by chance, Numair was strolling down the next corridor, staring at his feet as he paced, mumbling something under his breath. Daine decided to catch his attention, "Numair!" the wildmage chanted happily. Numair, awakened from thought raised his head and smiled upon seeing his student. Daine tried to run up to him, but her legs buckled under her own weight after only a few steps. She was falling to the floor.

Numair swept in right beside her, and caught the girl as she plummeted to the ground. He wrapped both arms around her torso supportively. Daine turned to face her teacher, he still had one hand around her waist, and the other hand supported her arm as he looked down worriedly at her, "Magelet, are you alright?"

"Of course I am, just a little tired," she was trembling in his grasp. She really was feeling fatigued all of a sudden.

"Maybe I should help you to your room, in the riders barracks." Numair suggested.

"At this time of night?" Daine exclaimed, "I don't have the strength to make it that far." She paused for a moment, thinking of what to do, "I wouldn't mind if you just helped me get back into a bed at the infirmary," she said after a while.

Numair nodded, "You're probably right. Here lean on to me so you don't stumble again." Daine willingly obliged. They had only made it through a few corridors before Daine was nearly asleep on her feet.

"Numair can we stop and rest a bit, I don't think I should have attempted this walk so soon after I got back on my feet."

Numair helped Daine sit down against a nearby wall, supporting her as she got into a sitting position. "Of course we can!" Numair made sure to keep an arm around her shoulder to make sure she didn't topple to the ground. In order to do this comfortably he had to slide in next to her. Daine gladly put her head to his chest, to tired to care how he would take it. She was just glad to have someone there to help her like Numair. He was the greatest man she had ever met.

"Daine?" Numair asked after a while.

"Yeah," Daine managed to get out in-between yawns.

"Lindhall recommended that I tell you something, and please don't stop me until I am completed. I know I can be very charismatic, but this will be the hardest thing I have ever had to say." Numair took a deep, long breath and continued. "Daine, there are certain emotions that one should not keep bottled up; anger, hate, joy, sadness, and well, love." This wasn't working for Numair. He couldn't seem to form the right words. "Oh, forget it! Daine, I... I love you. I understand if you don't return my feelings for you but..." Numair realized that Daine had collapsed completely into his lap. "Magelet?" He gently turned her head up toward him. She was fast asleep. Numair nearly screamed in frustration, but instead gently stroked the top of her head. "Come on," Numair said to a sleeping Daine "let's get you to bed."

He scooped her up into his arms and got himself to his feet. He took this opportunity to hold her close to him, taking in her unique scent of the woods. She always complained about taking home the smell of the stables, but she always smelt like the forests, on a cool spring day. Once Numair reached the infirmary, he quietly walked in as to not disturb other patients and placed Daine into an unoccupied bed. He covered her with clean blankets made of soft wool. He bent down and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight my swe..." Numair paused. Even though there wasn't anyone to hear him call her sweet, he knew that it wasn't his place to call her that, he settled on his old nickname for her. "Goodnight magelet." He whispered gently in her ear.

Numair turned to back out of the room but thought of something. He pulled out a belt knife and gently cut a small curl from atop Daine's head where she wouldn't miss it. He took the smokey brown lock and placed it in his breast pocket. He quickly left the room afraid that she might awake to him cutting her hair. He paused at the doorway to catch one last glimpse of his magelet. She was sleeping so peacefully, so soundly. What he wouldn't do to brush those full lips with his. He shook his head and left the infirmary, and left the love of his life, who was totally unaware of Numair's sentiments for her.

Numair was scared out of his wits when Lindhall jumped out at him as he closed the infirmary door. "Gods Lindhall, what are you doing up at this time of night!"

"I could ask you the same question." Lindhall calmly retorted. Numair's gaze lay fixed on him; he wasn't going to say another word until Lindhall explained himself. Lindhall sighed, "I was simply out for a walk, I just came back from walking around the courtyard."

Numair nodded, "And I was just helping Daine get to bed."

"So we are all up to innocent things then?" Lindhall said with a smile.

Numair couldn't help but grin at his old teacher, "Goodnight Lindhall." Lindhall noticed the hint, and gave Numair a friendly smile.

"Yes, you to."

Numair shook his head in amusement and went in search for his big warm bed. Lindhall went a different direction. When he finally entered his own quarters he soon realized that his rooms weren't empty. There, lying in his bed was an auburn haired, well-shaped lady.

"Lady Daetora, are you testing my patience!" Numair said angrily. He was in no mood to deal with court ladies who believed themselves in love with him.

The woman gave Numair an amused smirk. "I told you darling, forget formalities. Call me Ruby."

"State your business or get out!" Numair demanded.

Ruby did not seem to notice the underlying tone of fury in Numair's voice, "I believe you know my business Numair. Don't make me blush by getting me to explain it to you. That and you've been avoiding me the past few weeks. If I didn't know better, I would think you found another lady to quell the longings in your heart." Ruby rose up from the bed, and to Numair's embarrassment, discovered that she was wearing nothing but a thin robe. "I hope that's not the case." She put her arms around his neck and brought her to him. She immediately had her mouth on his.

Numair firmly grabbed her shoulders and pushed her away from him. "Ruby, leave now by your own accord, or have me tie you up and drag you out of this room myself."

"It is another woman then. Who is she Numair?" Ruby barked, on the verge of tears.

Numair knew he had been avoiding her on purpose. Ever since his feelings for Daine had grown stronger, he discovered that no woman could fill the emptiness in his heart that he had just recently realized was there. "You're right of course Lady Daetora, but the identity of this woman is none of your concern. All you need to know it that she is intelligent, beautiful, and more dignified then you could ever hope to be. Now get out!"

Ruby gave him a menacing glare. She stuck her nose in the air and walked straight out the open door, angrier then a bear whose cubs had been threatened. "You'll come crawling back to Ruby, they all eventually do!" She slammed the door behind her with a force that surprised Numair. He didn't know she possessed such strength. Numair removed the lock of hair he had taken from Daine from his breast pocked and placed it into a draw in his nightstand. Numair pulled off his shirt, and collapsed into bed. Too tired to pull off his breeches or get into the covers.

Before he shut his eyes, he muttered a prayer under his breath, "Mithros, please give me the strength to stop loving Daine, it hurts." Numair knew that this wasn't what he wanted. Loving Daine brought him so much joy. It also brought along with it pain, pain that Numair knew he could never wrap his arms around her, or comfort her, or kiss her. Numair sighed, and turned over on his side. He had never been so happy or distressed in his entire life. He let a dreamless sleep slowly take him.

Author's Note: There is the next chapter. I know that things aren't looking great for Numair, but have no fear I am a lover of DN fluff, that means DN togetherness. Or does it? I'll let you all think on that! Remember to review!


	3. DN togetherness!

Author's Note: Thanks to all the reviewers again. It is enjoyable to get feed back on your story. Here is the next chapter for you all.

Chapter 3

Numair opened his eyes the next morning, and nearly had a heart attack when he found a pair of blue gray eyes staring down at him, no more then a foot away from his face. "Numair? Numair? Wake up!"

"Daine, why are you here so early!"

"I'm not here early, it's past noon! You slept in." Daine laughed.

"Noon!" Numair sat up in his bed forcing Daine to back away. Numair rubbed his eyes, "What made me sleep in past noon?"

"A late night, probably." Daine mumbled.

"What do you mean?"

Daine sighed, "A servant saw you throw Ruby out of your rooms late last night. Why'd you throw her out?"

"Because she is ill mannered and lacks respect for anyone." Numair said while stifling a yawn.

Daine made a noise that could only be described as a snort, "why is that all of a sudden bothering you now."

"Love" Numair grumbled while rubbing his eyes.

"Love? Numair what are you talking about?" Daine hoped that he wasn't in love with Ruby. It always had made Daine jealous for some reason whenever Numair was interested in a woman, and Ruby was beautiful.

"What? Love?" Numair was stumbling over his words. "I'm not talking about anything."

"Yes you are! You said you thought Ruby out of your rooms because of love I don't understand Numair. Just please try to show me what you mean by that." Daine exclaimed in frustration.

Numair did what Daine told him to. He showed her what he meant. The next thing Daine knew, Numair had his hands on the back of Daine's neck and brought her into his arms. His lips were on hers, kissing her fiercely with a hungering desire. Numair broke away from the kiss briefly and whispered, "I threw her out because of love Daine."

Daine didn't know what she was doing, but next thing she knew, her arms encircled his own neck. She was kissing him. Numair was wearing no shirt, so Daine was pressed right up against him, as close as she could get. The two were interrupted abruptly when a knock came from the door. They quickly broke apart, and Daine ran to a couch and sat down as far away from Numair as she could. Numair grabbed a wrinkled shirt off the floor and threw that on. "Who is it?" Numair finally yelled.

"It's Alanna!"

"Oh, sorry... I thought you were someone else. Come in." The door creaked open as the lioness slipped in with a predator's grace. She truly did look like a lioness sometimes.

"Hello Daine," sounded the fiery tempered knight. "I figured you'd be here interrogating your teacher as to why Lady Daetora is creating such a fuss over being 'rudely' cast out of Numair's chambers last night."

"She interrogated me alright," Numair said absent-mindedly. Daine fired up into a blush, and shoved her face into some nearby pillows. Alanna looked confused, but shrugged it off.

"Well anyways, Daine, Onua wants you in the stables pronto. She's having some trouble with keeping the horses in order."

"Okay Alanna, I'll go down there right away." With that Daine hurried out of the room. Face still on fire.

When Daine was a good distance away from Numair's rooms she collapsed against the wall gasping. She had been kissed before, but nothing compared to that! "I had no idea." She said out loud to herself. Does he love me? Daine hoped that was the truth, she figured she had feelings for him too. It was just hard to admit that to herself, him being her teacher and all. She did get jealous, and found herself hating any woman who had anything today with Numair.

"Are you alright?" a voice sounded suddenly from beside her. Daine gasped with fright not expecting someone to be there.

"Lindhall, you scared me nearly out of my boots." Daine explained.

"I know I tend to have that effect on people. You seem out of breath, are you okay?"

Daine nodded, "I think so, it's just my emotions."

Lindhall raised an eyebrow, "Is that so? Would you like to tell me what's wrong with your emotions?"

"All I can tell you is that it feels like they were cracked open and scrambled together in a frying pan. I'm sorry to leave you here Lindhall, but I'm needed down in the stables and..."

Lindhall held up a hand to halt her rambling, "Don't say another word, I know. Just get off to work then. I have to talk to a certain former student of mine if I can manage to locate him" He patted the top of Daine's head, like a friendly uncle would do and was off. Daine regained her composure and went to the stables.

When she arrived Onua had sent her to feed the rider's spare mounts while she fixed some behavioral problems on the fields. "Are you sure you don't want me on the fields" Daine asked, "If it's behavior, I could do best with the horses."

"Oh it's not the horses," Onua winked "It's the riders. The beginners are scaring their horses by grasping on to their manes too tight, and screaming when the ponies move unexpectedly." Onua took another quick glance around the stables seeing if anything else needed to be done. "After you are done here, there isn't much else to do. You can take the rest of the day off if you wish."

Daine was fiddling with a strand of her hair, deep in thought contemplating what had happened with Numair earlier. She hadn't even heard Onua.

"Daine?"

Daine was suddenly jerked from her thoughts as Onua pinched her shoulder. "Ouch!"

"You seem to have a lot on your mind, are you okay to work?" Onua said looking concerned.

"I'm fine, just a little tired. I just overcame an illness. I'll be okay I just have to get back into a routine." Daine assured.

"Well if you're sure..." Daine nodded earnestly. "Alright then, I have to get back to work!" Onua gave Daine's shoulder a squeeze, and then she left for the riders.

Daine was absent-mindedly attending to her work. She couldn't get the picture of Numair kissing her out of her head. Daine was brought back to reality as a pair of strong arms yanked her into an empty stall, out of sight from any human. Numair had her in his arms, and put a hand over her mouth before she could even scream. Daine relaxed in his grip, realizing who it was. Numair removed his hand from her mouth and replaced it with his lips. He was gentler with her this time; Daine was about to object but was easily swept away in the moment. Numair broke away from the kiss, and caressed he face with the back of his hand.

"You don't know for how long I wanted to do that." Numair said smiling.

"Numair? What in gods' name is going...?" Daine began.

Numair abruptly interrupted her. "You asked me how I could throw Ruby out of my rooms after she had come to me so willingly. I told you, and showed you. It's because I love you."

Daine couldn't find words to say to Numair. She didn't know why but she had never been so happy in her whole life. Why was hearing this filling her with so much joy? Numair obviously knew that Daine had been happy to hear this for she broke into a large grin. Numair began trailing kisses all along her neck, finding his way to her full lips. Numair broke away. He had a troubled look on his face, a look of pure horror.

"Mithros, what on earth have I done?"

Daine didn't understand, "Numair, I thought..."

"I do sweet, I really do. It's just I'm your teacher for gods' sake, not to mention I am fourteen years your elder. I'm stealing your youth you don't deserve this." Numair released Daine from his grip and started to walk away."

"Numair wait!" Daine shouted. He tried to ignore her, and he kept walking.

Daine was desperate. Numair was being ridiculous, "Numair, stop! I love you." The words were out before she even noticed. Those were the words that made Numair stop in his tracks. He turned around and focused his dark brown eyes into her blue gray ones.

"What did you say?" Numair interrogated.

Daine fumbled over her words, "I, I lo... I love you, you crazy dolt! I don't care that you're my teacher, and I don't care that you're a little older then me. There are girls little older then me who are betrothed to men who are forty!"

Numair smiled sheepishly "That is certainly true."

Daine slowly walked over to him "It'll be a little unusual at first, but I would be willing to give it a try."

"But, Daine you're only fifteen." Numair objected.

Daine had now fully closed the gap, she bent up on her tip toes and gave Numair a light kiss on his mouth. "Just because we've admitted feelings to each other doesn't mean we have signed a marriage certificate or anything. We're not stuck together! If we love each other we should give it a try."

It was enough convincing for Numair, he enveloped Daine into his strong arms, and stood there rocking Daine, lips planted on the top of her head. The two were interrupted when a door to the stable opened. Numair dove into an empty stall dragging Daine down with him. He heard footsteps enter the stables and come closer to where the two knew lovers lay. He had his hand covering Daine's mouth urging her to be quiet, Daine silently obliged. A figure nearly as tall as Numair approached their hiding place. Lindhall peered over the stall, his stare fixed at the two lovers. His jaw dropped!

Author's Note: Well there is the next chapter. Full of Daine and Numair togetherness. Enjoy, and Review!


	4. Volney Rain

Author's Note: Well I hope you all like the last chapter. Doesn't everyone love a little Daine and Numair togetherness? Well, enjoy the next chapter, thanks again for all the great reviews. Don't be afraid to review again!

This is to Narm's Briton 44: Thanks; you should know what I mean from the two long reviews I sent you. Haha, enjoy Alison! Sorry that's still weird to meet another Al(l)ison. It does not happen very often for me, anyways, before I babble on... here's the chapter!

Chapter 4

"Is this what I think this is?" Lindhall demanded to know.

Numair stood up from the hay, "No, not really... maybe, let me explain."

Lindhall nodded, trying to remain serious forcing back a smile. "Go on then."

"Daine and I weren't doing what you thought we were doing just now in the hay. We just shared a first kiss today!" Numair explained.

Lindhall narrowed his gaze to Numair, entirely forgetting that Daine was still sitting up in the straw. "With your reputation oh great and wise black robe" Lindhall said sarcastically, "it used to never matter if you just met the woman and invited her to lay with you."

"This is different" Numair stuttered, quivering with rage. "I, I..."

"I apologize Numair, I didn't mean that you were using Daine to quench your own desires. I was just trying to make light of the entire situation. To be honest, I've never seen you so hopelessly in love. The closest you got to your state was Varice." Lindhall explained.

Numair calmed down a bit, it would have been better had he not mentioned Varice, "Could you refrain from telling people about me and Daine? I don't want the gossips to get to her anymore than they already have."

Lindhall winked, "What about you and Daine?" Numair smiled in response.

Daine decided to speak up, "What are you doing here anyway Lindhall."

"I was just here to remind Numair, and you, since you both have clearly forgot, that there is a dinner tonight celebrating the anniversary of the king and queen."

"How could we forget?" Daine asked, "The palace has been in an absolute uproar for weeks."

Numair's face had gone ashen, "That was tonight?!"

"Yes" Lindhall reminded, "You still have several hours to prepare of course." Lindhall paused briefly, deep in thought. "Who are you escorting to this dinner Numair?"

"What do you mean, isn't it obvious I'm taking Da..."

"Won't that tip everyone off as to this secret relationship?"

Numair opened his mouth to object, but saw Lindhall's point and decided on something different. "I just won't escort anyone." He took one of Daine's hands in his own and gave it a squeeze.

"Nor will I" Daine resolved.

"That is probably best." Lindhall concluded. "Now I'll leave you two love birds alone, I will see you tonight!"

Later that night Daine entered the hall where the dinner was being held. In a table of honour sat King Jonathon, and Queen Thayet laughing and eating. There are two people hopelessly in love Daine thought, and I finally understand how happy they feel. Daine was dressed in a simple, but elegant blue gray dress, one she had worn in Carthak many months ago. She was also wearing the earrings that Numair had given her two midwinters ago. Daine had arrived past the main course for she knew they were serving roasts and deer. Daine scanned the room and spotted Numair near a far wall talking up a storm with the palace scholars. They were all alumni from the greatest schools in Corus, but Numair still managed to have them awe struck at what he had to say.

Daine just wanted to approach Numair and have him hold her. They hadn't really talked much more then that afternoon. From nowhere Perin unexpectedly came into Daine's vision and offered her his hand.

"Care for a dance oh beautiful divine goddess?" Perin asked.

Daine could always see right through Perin and knew a lot better; she also didn't feel like dancing with anyone but Numair that night. Daine politely declined Perin's offer. Daine didn't know why that would work, simply declining Perin had never worked before; he was too determined.

"I'm sure I can change the mind of the prettiest girl here." Perin took her by the arm and swept her onto the area in the room cleared for couples to dance. People of all ages were caught up in a fast paced waltz. Perin brought her close to him and attempted to plant his lips on hers, Daine leaned back from him in obvious disapproval. After a little bit of a struggle Daine had managed to yank herself away from him, but it took a lot of force. Enough force to knock her backwards into a pair of dancers.

Numair had seen the commotion and rushed over to see what was wrong. He noticed Daine, tangled up in her own skirts, sprawled on the floor, and Perin standing above her. Numair's face immediately contorted with rage.

"I warned you about doing anything to Daine!" Numair yelled. "I also promised you that I would break a few things if you repeated yourself. I will give you a ten second head start before I chase you down those halls and turn you into a toad!" Numair knew that he couldn't turn the boy into a toad, even if he wanted to. He was very powerful in the gift, but not that powerful. Perin however did not know that.

Numair watched in amusement as Perin sprinted down the halls as fast as he could. Numair then focused his attention on Daine, helping her up so she could balance herself. "Are you alright?" Numair asked while assisting her.

"Yeah, just have a few bruises from the fall. I never saw Perin so scared in his life. You really have an effect on people Numair." Daine looked up at her teacher, he was smiling down at her. The hairs on the back of Daine's neck started to rise, as if she was being watched. Daine broke away from Numair's gaze to see what was the cause of her worry. She realized that everyone's eyes in the entire room were on her and her teacher. Daine blushed furiously. She hated to be the center of attention under so many watchful eyes.

Numair saw that Daine was blushing, and realized the same thing as she. All eyes were on them. Numair bent and whispered in her ear. "It will be hard to blend in for the rest of the night. What do you say about a late night lesson to the pond where we saw the undine? Anything to get out of here."

Daine nodded, "Yes, I agree anything to get out of this situation. I'm just going to change into some breeches. I'll meet you out there?"

Numair nodded "Yes of course, there is just someone I have to talk to first."

Daine bobbed her head in response, straightened out her skirts and left the room. People resumed to dancing, and it was like the incident never happened. No Perin, no problem. Numair walked around until he found the man he was looking for.

"Volney Rain!" Numair shouted to get his attention. The old court artist turned to greet him.

"Hello Numair, it's been a long time since you've come to see me." The old man smiled a toothy grin.

"I was wondering if I could get you to fashion a portrait inside of this locket," Numair asked, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a simple gold bracelet.

"Who is this portrait to be of?" Volney asked while inspecting what he had to work with.

"Veralidaine, the uh wildmage." Numair mumbled.

The artist looked up at Numair in surprise, "Yes miss Sarrasri, I'm sure I'll be able to do it. This is miss Sarrasri you want in the locket right?"

"Yes" Numair answered, his face turning a shade of crimson under his tan.

Volney gave him a sly smile, getting the hint that this was no simple bracelet. "I can have it ready in two or three days, I just have to get a few looks at her around court and I should be able to complete this tiny masterpiece."

"Just don't let your eyes linger on some details," Numair warned.

Volney understood and nodded, "You can have complete trust in me."

Numair walked through a path in the woods until he discovered Daine waiting for him at the undine pool, which they officially named after seeing the magical creature in this location nearly four years ago. Daine had heard Numair walking through the foliage, and was up and ready to greet him. She stood up tall and jumped to the tips of her toes to give him a light kiss on his lips. Numair caught her lips and deepened the kiss, lifting her off her feet to make it easier. At about the third time they came up for air Daine spoke up.

"Do you think that the court will know anything is up?" Daine inquired.

"Other then the usual gossip that runs rampant throughout half of Corus about us? I don't think so. People have stopped taking those rumors seriously." Numair said with confidence.

Numair released Daine and set her back down on her feet. "So how long have you known?" Daine asked.

"Known what?" Numair asked incredulously.

"About your, well... crush on me." Daine answered timidly.

Numair smiled that grin that made Daine melt inside, "Crush is a little bit of an understatement don't you think."

Daine laughed, "I would hope you might say something like that." Numair caught her up in another swift kiss between sentences. "Although lessons are going to become awefully, distracting, from now own." She said breathlessly.

"I know what you mean." Numair whispered under his breath, loud enough for her to just barely hear.

"We should probably get back," Daine remarked after a while. "People are going to wonder where we have been, and rumors will flare up stronger then ever."

Numair nodded his agreement. "Maybe we'll get lucky and run into Perin on the way, I'd like to straighten him out."

"Or perhaps Lady Daetora, I would like to give her a piece of my mind," Daine added.

Numair threw an arm around Daine's shoulder to hold her close, "Less then a day into this secret relationship and we're already showing signs of jealousy."

"I'm not jealous," Daine argued.

Numair decided to change the subject before he got himself into trouble, "I think this is where we break off magelet."

Daine looked around, there was the rider's barracks, and they were approaching her little room. "I guess so."

Numair bent down and kissed her on the top of her head, "Good night magelet, I'll see you in the morning." Daine gave him her own kiss goodnight and then went into her rooms. She left her door open a crack and watched Numair leave into the night.

"This has to be most bizarre day I've ever had," Daine mumbled tiredly to herself. She turned on to her side, covered herself with a blanket and went to sleep.

Author's Note: Well hope that was enjoyed by one and all. Remember to review it is definitely appreciated.


	5. The Birth of the Focus

Author's Note: Well, I hope the last chapter was thoroughly enjoyed. Before I continue on with mindless rabble, I will let you all get to what you are reading this story for....

Good old Daine and Numair fluff.

Chapter 5

Two days had past since the night of the royal anniversary. Numair had been quietly reading when he heard a knock on his door. Grumbling, from being interrupted, Numair reluctantly got up to see to his guest. Volney Rain stood in his door way.

"I brought you that portrait you ordered," he said happily. "It may be a small piece in a jewelry item, but this may be one of my best works. I believe you will be satisfied." The old painter handed him the gold bracelet.

Numair took it in his large hand and opened it. He was astonished to find how well done the picture of Daine was. He caught all of her best features, he eyes, her lips... all into a piece of metal barely bigger then the pad of his thumb. "Volney, this is wonderful. I didn't expect it to turn out this good." Numair pressed two gold coins into the artist's hands. He had greatly overpaid him of course, but Numair was so happy with the workman's ship.

Volney Rain looked at his payment and smiled. "Well I better be going now, I will leave you to your mage business, whatever you crazy magic men are always up to."

Numair let out a hearty laugh. And escorted the man out the door. As soon as Numair was alone he opened a drawer in a table next to his bed. There tied in a small silk ribbon was a lock of smokey brown hair that he had placed there nearly a week ago. He opened the locket and placed the curl inside a clip. Numair sat on his bed and spent a few moments admiring the piece of jewelry. "Now I can carry you with me wherever I go." He whispered to himself. "My precious magelet." Numair fastened the gold bracelet to his wrist and spelled it so it would go invisible. "No sense in letting anyone see you," he explained to the locket.

It was getting late, and Numair had wanted to say goodnight to his Daine. He decided to go on his evening walk, which became a ritual for him ever since he became involved with Daine. People had questioned why he would walk down to the rider's barracks and back nearly every night, but grew accustomed to it and confirmed that it was just something he had to do to better use his gift. Numair didn't delude them into thinking that was the reason, but everyone grew accustomed to that explanation anyway. The only problem with everyone knowing about his evening ritual is that everyone knew! And that included Lady Daetora.

Numair came face to face with her the moment he left his chambers. "Hello Numair, I thought I would join you for your evening stroll."

"Ruby, what a pleasant surprise." Numair said gritting his teeth. How was he going to get rid of her?

She took his arm and leaned in close to him, allowing Numair to take a good glance at her bosom. Numair did not take that chance. He knew that she was wearing a dress with a low neckline for a reason, and that was to catch his interest. Numair tried to free his arm from her grip, "Really, I prefer privacy, and the solitude. That means alone."

"I'll be quiet as a mouse, I promise!" Ruby begged, her lips stuck out in a forced pout. She thought she was making herself desirable. Numair thought she was acting foolish.

"It's dangerous outside at night, I wouldn't want you to get hurt by something nasty," Numair explained. He was trying to think of as many excuses as he could.

Ruby leaned into him even closer then before, "I know I have the most powerful mage in all of Tortall to protect me." Numair tried again to gently free himself from her death grip.

Numair sighed, and decided to start walking. Maybe she won't follow me, he thought. Numair was wrong; she ran up beside him and wrapped two of her arms around one of his. She smiled up at him, Numair glared down at her in response. "Very well," he said finally. Now I have to think of a way to lose her, he thought urgently.

They were walking across a field, and approaching the riders barracks, Numair still hadn't managed to shake her off. He had tried to take a more difficult route to try to get rid of her, which took him an hour longer, but she persisted. "I think you should go back." Numair said finally, "I need to clear my head, and do some magic stuff. I need to be alone for that." That of course was not true; he hoped that Lady Daetora didn't know any better.

Ruby let go of his arm, it had fallen asleep in her grip, Numair shook his arm furiously to get the blood flowing again. Ruby grabbed Numair's face in both of her hands, trying to kiss him. Numair took her hands in both of his and pried her from his face.

"Lady Daetora!" He said shocked.

"Please, call me Ruby." She excused, puckering her lips to attempt to kiss him again.

Numair grabbed hold of her shoulders and pushed her back an arm's length away. "I do not care what I call you, just leave me be. I don't wish your company now, or ever!"

"That's what you say, but is that truly what you feel." She said smiling. She truly was a vixen.

"Yes, now leave me be!" He said again, voice a little louder this time.

"You don't mean that, but if you need some time to cool off, then by all means go for your little walk. I'll see you in the morning." Before Numair could further explain himself Ruby turned and left, going back in the direction of the palace.

Numair stormed away toward the barracks. He was furious that she kept being forward with him. He didn't understand why she wouldn't just leave him alone. The moment he and Daine went public with their relationship, he knew she would back off, if he and Daine ever went public with their correlation. When he arrived in front of Daine's door he was happy to see that her door was still open a crack. "Not like it is ever closed," he chuckled to himself. He let himself in, and found Daine asleep in her bed. She was still in her breeches, she had expected to see him, but must have fell asleep while waiting. He wanted to wish her a goodnight before he left.

"Daine?" He whispered, nudging her gently.

"Hunh?" She said groggily.

"Sweet, it's me. I'm sorry I'm so late. I was... delayed." Numair explained.

She sat up in her bed, swinging her legs over the side, allowing Numair to sit next to her. "That's okay, I just closed my eyes for a few moments, it wasn't long." Daine paused and began to sniff the air. She leaned in closer to Numair and sniffed along his shoulder.

"Magelet" Numair laughed, "What in gods' name are you doing?"

Daine paused and looked up at him, a look of concern on her face, "I smell a lady's perfume."

Numair realized what Daine was thinking, "Daine it isn't what you think, Lady Daetora..."

"Her!" Daine spat. "You've been spending time with her!"

Numair gently put his hand over hers. "Daine you have to let me explain." Numair tried to calm her down.

Daine stood up from her bed and yanked her hand back, "What is there to explain?" Numair took her hand again urging her to sit down.

"She has been following me around a lot lately, and everyone in the court knows that I take frequent walks out to the riders barracks. She followed along this time and insisted on staying close to me." Numair explained.

"Did you do anything else?" Daine said choking back tears, "I understand if you've changed your mind about us, really I do."

"You are being irrational magelet. I admit, she did kiss me, but I stopped her promptly. I love you, only you. Not her. I would never ever leave you for someone as loose as a tavern whore." Numair forced a smile, trying to reassure her. He could tell she was having serious doubts. "Well I better head back then, goodnight magelet, you have nothing to be afraid of. I won't ever stop loving you." He brushed his lips lightly across her lips, but got no return. No emotion.

"Good night magelet, I hope you are feeling better in the morning. Sleep on it, and you'll realize that you can trust me." Numair's eyes saddened. She had every right to be suspicious it was understandable. He just wished that she had a little more faith in their love. Numair sighed then left the barracks, leaving the door slightly ajar for woodland creatures to slip into her room.

Once Numair left, Daine buried her face in her pillows. He's right she thought to herself. I am being irrational. She eventually drifted off into an uneasy sleep filled with dreams of Numair deserting her, feeding her worst fears.

Author's Note: A tiny bit shorter then the other chapters, but a chapter none the less. Okay, now I need a favor from all of you. You guys need to scroll down to the bottom of this page and review. These reviews will make me overjoyed and inspired to write another chapter. The more reviews, the faster and more numerous the updates. Seems a fair trade off don't you think? Heed my advice.


	6. Betrayal

Author's Note: I know, I know, it's been two whole months, maybe more. Here's the thing. I have been without Internet for about two months. So I couldn't go on fan fiction, or update my stories. I have been without a computer for about a month. Something was wrong with our network card or something. Anyway being without this commodity has been like being in prison. Not a great experience. Here's the next update, I pray I haven't lost the interest of too many readers.

Chapter 6

Daine awoke the next morning feeling a little groggy, with a cat curled up against her stomach. "I feel like I haven't slept in weeks," she said aloud to the orange tabby. She had a very poor sleep feeling a veil of guilt strapped to her like an uncomfortable second skin. I definitely need to see Numair, Daine thought to herself. Daine was worried that she couldn't trust her previously very flirtatious mage, and felt wrong to have doubted her lover.

Daine stumbled out of bed and managed to pull on a pair of clean breeches and pull her mass of thick curls into a manageable horse tale. She threw on a pair of stout shoes and walked out into the open air and a new day. She was off to see Numair.

Onua was however patiently waiting for her young worker outside her door. "Where do you think you're going? We have new mounts to train, not to mention some new riders!"

"Onua of course! I'll be right back and work a few extra hours I just need to talk to someone right now..."

"I know what's going on, there's a young lad involved. You've been shirking off of your duties an awful lot lately. Daine you are free to court all the young men you want, of course I approve of them. You cannot let them however interfere with your duties. Do I make myself clear?"

Daine was shocked to be hearing this from her employer and friend. She just stood there with her mouth hanging open. Daine was praying to the great mother goddess that Onua hadn't seen Numair walk down to her little room some nights.

"I've seen Numair creep down to the barracks quite a few times and it's obvious what is going on." Onua affirmed.

Daine gulped, "It is?"

"Curses Daine, I wasn't born yesterday. Numair knows you're secretly courting someone and he is just looking out for you. Making sure that the man you see is honorable, that mage is constantly looking out for you, as I try to do." Onua swung an arm around Daine's shoulder as the wildmage heaved a sigh of relief.

"You don't know the half of it," Daine mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, listen Onua I need about an hour before I start work and then I'll get back to it as diligently as ever." Onua put her hands on her hips and frowned at Daine. Daine waited patiently for a response.

Onua heaved a tired sight. "You have an hour, no more. Now off with you."

Daine couldn't help but giving her oldest friend a hug. Daine quick on her heels ran towards the palace.

Numair crawled out of bed in a sweat, perspiring all night from worry. Numair didn't at all doubt Daine's love for him, just her faith in him. He did after all have quite the history with some of the well-bred ladies of the court. Numair walked into his sitting room, shirtless not expecting any company. To his surprise Lady Daetora had tea made and dressed in a very revealing nightgown. "Tea?" She asked with a smile.

"Ruby, what on earth are you doing here!" Numair bellowed, his face contorted with rage and surprise.

"I told you that I would see you in the morning handsome."

"I cannot deal with you anymore, if you don't leave now I'll burn you to a crisp!"

Lady Daetora let out a heart-wrenching laugh, "Is that so master black-robed mage?" Numair grabbed Ruby by the arm and put one hand in the small of her back and firmly guided her out into the hall.

"Please just leave and don't come back," Numair begged. "You are jeopardizing something really good that I have going." Numair put a hand on his face in frustration as Ruby harrumphed and walked off, revealing nightgown and all. To Numair's delight Daine was standing right behind her. "Daine, just the woman I wanted to see."

Daine stood their silent, a look of horror and betrayal covered her features. Numair then realized how wrong the entire scene looked, him shirtless ordering a very poorly dressed lady out of his room in the morning. Numair gasped and quickly tried to rectify things "Daine it's not how it looks..." Numair tried to put a hand on her shoulder, but she was already running down the corridor, weeping and heartbroken.

Onua was brushing down one horse for burrs back in the stable, when she heard a quiet sobbing noise. Onua walked along the stalls until she found where the noise was coming from. Daine was curled up in the corner of Cloud's stall as the gray mare tried to comfort a crying wildmage. "Daine? What is...?"

"You know how you said Numair was sneaking down to the barracks to make sure that I am courting and honourable man?" Daine interrupted. Onua nodded her head. "Well he did a very poor job of it!" Daine pounded her fist against the stable wall unable to hold back the tears and frustration of putting all her faith into this one cheating bastard.

Onua stepped inside the stall and knelt down beside Daine. Tenderly she put Daine's head on her shoulder, "Just let all the tears out and tell Onua all about it, I think I can feel you pain, it's betrayal I can tell."

"How do you know?" Daine asked between sobs.

Onua looked dumbstruck, not expecting her to ask the question, "I was beaten by my husband who was supposed to honour and protect me."

"Oh, Onua I'm sorry, I forgot."

"That's all right, that isn't your fault, just tell me what is wrong maybe I can help."

Daine wiped her eyes and nose on her shirtsleeve, "I don't think you can help with this one."

"Then at least tell me so you can vent, and get it off your chest."

Daine paused, and took a deep breath. After a few moments of silence she began, "It all started one morning in Numair's rooms..."

Author's Note: I know, it wasn't all that long of a chapter, but I had to put something up to make up for not updating in two months (that wasn't my fault, I would have updated sooner if I could) Well read and review and I'm sorry for the long wait.


	7. New lovers

Author's Note: I have to try to get in another update before my computer is once again taken in for repairs. I should only be out for about a week though (crosses fingers). This thing is so screwed up. No worries I am getting a new one for Christmas. Yeah! No more problems.

Chapter 7:

"You and Numair?" Onua repeated to herself baffled. Daine nodded, her eyes sore and red from crying.

"I really thought he loved me, he told me and..." Daine trailed off into meaningless mumbling.

Onua put her fingers to her temples, "I just can't imagine Numair causing anyone that kind of pain, and I can't imagine what a girl of your age was doing with a man of that...maturity."

Daine hugged her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them. "I was always told I was mature for my age, besides I really love him." Feelings of anguish swamped Daine and she nearly broke into tears again. Onua knelt down beside Daine cooing comforting words. All of a sudden Onua perked up, alerted by the sound of someone approaching.

"You have a lot of explaining to do master mage," Onua shouted as the intruder.

"Please just let me talk to Daine," Numair begged.

Onua frowned but then stepped aside. "I have some work to attend to anyway." She then focused her attention on Daine sitting in a heap behind her. "Daine remember you just need to shout if you need me." Daine was silent, dreading any kind of conversation with this man.

Numair waited until Onua was well out of earshot until he tried to approach Daine. "You know that you're lucky to have so many people who would jump to protect you." Daine remained silent, looking to the ground trying to block out her reality. Numair stepped closer and sat on the ground next to Daine. He didn't do much for a while just sat there playing with a piece of grass listening to Daine's uneven ragged breathing. She was stifling back tears.

"Daine you have to know that it wasn't what you thought it wa..."

Daine turned to him a little surprised by his comment, "Oh, you and her half naked in the same room isn't nothing?"

"Daine I admit that her interests are focused in me, but mine certainly aren't. She came into my rooms while I was sleeping. She was hoping to, to seduce me." Numair blushed crimson under his tan.

"And just where do your interests lie?"

Numair turned to Daine and stroked her cheek with the back of one of his large, gentle hands, "I thought it was quite obvious where my interests lie." Numair leaned over and kissed her lips gently.

Daine was starting to give in, "What reason do I have to believe you?"

Numair smiled, "Think long and hard Magelet." Magelet, that used to be just a cute name he used for her, it now had a deeper more intimate meaning. "Have I ever given you a reason in our history together to give you reason not to trust me?" Daine thought long and hard on that comment, all that they had been through; the incident in Carthak, Dunlath, and even when she first met him. He had always had some profound faith and belief in her, and not once had he ever hindered her trust in him.

Daine once again turned to Numair, and gazed into those dark eyes. It was like staring into infinity. "I'm sorry for doubting you, and I love you." Numair smiled and kissed her again, more fiercely and passionately.

Numair interuppeted, "Don't you have work to do?" He said smiling.

Daine groaned in frustration, "Work can wait, it'll be there when I get back," Daine continued to kiss her lover.

As much as Numair agreed with Daine he knew that they would eventually need to get back to the real world. "Onua would have my head, besides you have to tell her that we're okay so that she doesn't come after me with a shovel filled with manure" Daine couldn't help but laugh at the mental image of Onua chasing Numair around with some of the dirt covered tools from the stables.

"Well just you know that if you ever do something bad that I can always call upon Onua."

Numair frowned, "You may take that threat lightly but I certainly won't." Daine nodded Onua probably would chase Numair around with something.

"Well if I must get back to work, then I will. I have to go find Onua in the stables."

Numair sighed, "Yes and I have to find that former teacher of mind, I haven't seen Lindhall all day." Numair swiftly brushed Daine's lips with his own, "Come to my rooms later then where we can be alone."

Daine shouted after Numair as he turned to leave, "I know I would enjoy that!"

Later Daine walked in the stables in search of Onua, but found no sign of her. Here she was complaining about work and nowhere to be found. Daine about to turn and leave noticed a stall door was ajar. Just wanting to close it, Daine walked over, but was shocked to find the missing Lindhall and Onua. Not only that but they were rolling in the hay, mouths together. Daine put her own hand over her mouth to stifle a cry of shock. The only thing she could think of doing was running the other way.

Daine didn't know where she was running, but when she stopped she found herself in front of Numair's room. She rushed in and found him where she expected him to be, hunched over a table at his study.

Without even looking up from his work Numair knew that Daine has entered, "Daine what is it?"

Daine smiled, "You still looking for Lindhall?"

Numair looked up from his work raising an eyebrow, "Yes, but I couldn't find him."

"Well I found him," Daine said walking over to his desk; she sat herself on the edge of the desk facing Numair.

"Well," Daine began "I happened to find Lindhall and Onua in the stables, well err..." Daine was blushing.

"What is it?" Numair's sense clicked in, "You mean together?!" Daine nodded. Numair smiled, "I guess we can't really make a big deal out of this, or they are allowed to make a big deal out of us."

"But Onua, and Lindhall?" Daine protested. Numair hushed her by gently sliding her on to the chair with him and began trailing kisses down her neck. Numair navigated his way back to her lips. Daine felt like she was melting into his embrace.

Numair paused briefly; "Well we can deal with Onua and Lindhall later. There is still the question of how everyone seems to be slipping into my rooms uninvited," Numair returned to kissing Daine before she even had a chance to answer.

Author's Note: I am sorry for the short chapter, but I wanted to get something up just in case I don't get the chance over the next week. I'll try my best to make the next few much longer. Thanks for putting up with me and my computer troubles. Remember to review.


	8. Taken

**Author's Note:** Some of you said that you didn't expect the whole Lindhall and Onua thing, to be honest neither did I. I was just sitting at my computer thinking, and all of a sudden there it was. I'm glad I have the approval of some of you. Hahaha, yes you know who you are!

Chapter 8

Daine woke the next morning in unfamiliar surroundings, she was in a bed that felt a lot bigger and softer then her own. She stretched out her arms to try to shake off the sleep, but bumped into another form. There lie Numair, his head resting on a pillow scant inches away from his face. She didn't remember coming to his bed, she did remember them making up and celebrating by kissing on his desk. Daine was very worried about what could have happened the previous night, but realized she was wrong to worry. Her and her tall mage were both fully dressed. Daine blushed as she thought to herself, not that it would be a horrible thing to occur had she and him awoken without their clothes.

Daine brushed a wisp of raven hair that fell across his face, Numair smiled in his sleep. Daine nuzzled closer and kissed Numair softly on his lips to try and wake him. The most he did was stir in his sleep. Daine thought he was just playing around and decided to poke him a little to stir him. He wouldn't wake. "It's like trying to make a drunk man aware." Daine said aloud to herself.

"Drugged actually" came a voice from behind her. Daine tried to turn to see whom the owner of the voice was, but dropped back on the bed as she felt a sharp pain at the back of her neck. The last thing Daine saw was a worried look on Numair's sleeping face before blackness consumed her world.

Numair awoke several hours later in a daze. His head felt like it weighed a hundred pounds. He had been drugged for sure and he knew that something wasn't right. Numair sluggishly felt the place on the bed beside him. Daine wasn't there and for some reason he felt that she should have been. Numair swung his legs out of the bed, supporting himself on one of the posts as he tried to stand. "Daine?" He cried out, voice dry and raspy. It barely sounded louder then a whisper. She probably just went back to the rider's barracks that's all, he reasoned to himself. "But then why was I left in my rooms drugged?"

Numair stumbled to where Daine's little room in the rider's barracks was, recovering from the effects of being drugged and picking up speed until he was going at an ungraceful run. He got to her room and pushed the door that stood ajar slightly until it was fully open, letting a shaft of moonlight fall on to her neatly made bed. No one had slept in it yet. Numair was getting worried. "Onua! She has to know where Daine is!" Onua had apartments in the staff building, it was late but if Daine was in danger then Onua would understand. Numair didn't even bother knocking, but barged in the room. Numair was surprised to find that Onua wasn't alone in her bed, Lindhall was lying right next to her.

"Numair! What in Mithros' name are you doing here in a lady's rooms at night uninvited!" Onua stammered covering herself with a blanket.

Numair looked from one to another in complete shock. He shook his head, Daine told him that she found the two together but he didn't really take notice, after all Daine was the one who was talking to him, he always gets distracted by her. "Listen Onua, have you seen Daine anywhere?"

Onua was bright red by this time, a mixture of embarrassment and anger. Lindhall kept a comforting hand on her shoulder in attempts to soothe her. Lindhall looked at Numair, "Could you just explain to us what this is all about Arram?"

"I woke up about an hour ago, I think I was drugged and Daine was taken!"

"Calm down Numair, she could just be out and about." Onua added. "Let's just talk about this a little later, at least let us get dressed and we'll go looking for her."

Numair looked hesitant to walk out the door fearing that the aid of Onua and Lindhall would dissipate if he left them out of his sight. "Ok, that seems wise." He added after a while. Numair stood and waited in the hall. If Numair weren't so worried he thought that he could be laughing right now at the idea of his former teacher, and his friend together secretly like that. Onua and Lindhall crept out into the hall a few moments later, Lindhall still tugging on a pair of boots.

"So why do you believe that Daine was taken? You were drugged after all as you claim." Lindhall asked.

Numair pondered on how he could explain his knowledge. "I could feel her there, although I wasn't conscious. I could feel that she touched my face, and that she was beside me. Then when I came around she wasn't there. I'm positive that she was taken."

Onua looked to Lindhall, "You can't argue with that, the whole thing does seem odd, maybe she was taken."

"Or maybe she simply wandered in the woods sensing some injured animal," Lindhall argued.

Numair groaned in frustration, and took a deep breath to try and calm himself before he tried talking to the two again. "You have to believe me, she has been taken and we have to find her."

"Oh, and if she was taken how do you suppose we find her then?" Onua questioned.

Lindhall raked his fingers through his hair thinking, "If only we had a focus," he mumbled. "It would be too late to devise one now, unless we could literally pluck a hair from her head."

Numair stood up hopeful, "I think I know where we can find this focus. I don't know how far we'll have to go, but can you two get horses and some supplies ready. I want to be able to chase her and her captors down before Daine gets out of range from the focus." Numair left and ran down the hall, "I have to go get the focus, meet me in front of the stables."

As Numair left, Onua took a step closer to Lindhall. "Do you think he's just being paranoid? I don't know what has gotten into that man as of late."

Lindhall answered her in a whisper, "Love of course."

Numair ran to his apartments and quickly began to stuff a pack with anything he could find, a few pairs of breeches, shirts, and a cloak, among other small things. Before he left his rooms he ran to his bedside table and opened the drawer. Inside lay a gold bracelet covered in a deep violet cloth. In one side of the locket lay a lock of Daine's hair, in the other a picture in exact likeness of his love. He clasped the bracelet around his wrist and hurried back down to the stables. The drug has weakened Numair, and he was beginning to feel the effects, he would need to tie himself to a saddle in order to stay on the horse. Numair continued on anyway, knowing that Daine's life could hang in the balance.

Onua was saddling three horses, including Numair's regular mount, Spots. Lindhall helped Onua while Numair tried to figure out the focus. After a bit of tinkering with his gift, Numair found that Daine was hours ahead of them, to the north. Numair informed Lindhall and Onua of this.

"Well we definitely need to go after her, I just wish we could inform Jon, or Alanna before we scurry off into the middle of the night." Onua complained.

"I'm sure they'll understand that we had to do this," Numair affirmed. With that Numair mounted his horse, and started to gallop up the dirt road through the woods heading north. Onua and Lindhall hurried after."

"Daine opened her eyes, her world was spinning. She looked to be inside a wagon, she was disoriented so she couldn't tell, but she was uncomfortable and couldn't move her arms or legs. They must be bound she thought to herself. Daine decided to try a shape shift. She reached for that copper pool of magic that was in the core of herself, she attempted to call it forth to make the change into an animal. It was like trying to handle water, her magic kept slipping out of her grasp, she couldn't hold on to it.

"She's coming around, quick get the segroot!" The voice of a woman ordered.

Another voice sounded, this one was definitely male and was younger. "The seg-what?"

"The stuff that makes her go to sleep, and prevents her from getting at her magic you dolt, the stuff we've been giving her for hours." The female sounded agitated. These two sounded awfully familiar to Daine. The question was where was Numair?

"Please," Daine said tiredly "Just tell me what you want, I don't want another drugging. Where's Numair, you haven't done anything to Numair have you?"

Someone forced her head up and her mouth open, and another poured a bitter brew down her throat. Daine tried to cough it back up but couldn't. It was either choke or swallow. Daine swallowed. A familiar feeling swept over her as once again she plunged into darkness.

Numair was swaying in his saddle, and would fall of if they didn't stop and sleep for the night. Lindhall pulled his horse up next to Numair's. "We're going to have to stop for the night. We've been riding for hours and you're nearly falling asleep in the saddle. We'll be no use to Daine if you are lying in a ditch at the side of the road to tired to move." Numair seeing his reasoning nodded, and climbed down off of his horse. Dawn was nearly breaking; they had ridden right through the night.

Onua noticing that the two men decided to stop clambered down off of her mount as well. "Well how long do we plan to rest?"

Lindhall opened his mouth to respond but Numair got his words out quicker, "For a few hours at the most, just enough to get a nap, but not so long as the ones we're chasing get too far ahead."

"Numair do you realize how insane this is? We don't even know who we're chasing!" Lindhall exclaimed.

Numair gave him a very cold look, "We're chasing Daine and that's all we need to know."

Onua was taken aback by his response. "I guess I'll ward the camp then. You get some sleep and save your gift for the focus then." Numair nodded as he pulled his cloak around him and found a patch of soft grass to lie in. Numair nearly collapsed onto the ground as he fell right to sleep.

He was having dreams, dreams of Daine reaching out to Numair crying for help. Numair tried to grab her hand, but she kept drifting farther and farther away. _"Hang in there Magelet!"_ He said, _"I'm coming to bring you back my love."_

**Author's Note:** Well what can I say, there's the next chapter. Hope you enjoyed it, and tell me you did in your reviews.


	9. Captors Revealed

Author's Note: Well I got a pretty good response to the last chapter, so this is me, updating. Not much else to say, oh well enjoy!

Chapter 9:

Daine once again regained consciousness; everything seemed surrounded in a light haze. Just the effects of not being fully conscious for a while, Daine resolved in her head. Daine let out a painful groan from being cramped in the same position for what felt like days, her feet and hands bound together. She had wished she hadn't groaned because that got the attention of the young male who was nearby.

"Miss Daetora, where is the sleeping stuff?" Sounded the voice. Daine finally recognized who her captors were.

"Perin, you stupid boy, 'that sleeping stuff' is called segroot. How many times must I tell you?" Lady Daetora said. Daine tried to moan in protest, but her throat felt as if it hadn't touched water in a year. Her moan came out as more of a raspy wheeze. "Give that girl some water, we don't want to kill her yet, we need something from her!"

Perin grabbed for a flask that was tossed near his feet by Ruby. He cradled Daine's head in one arm and poured water down her throat. Daine didn't argue, but drank greedily. When he finished he once again tried to ask for the location of the segroot. "It should be in the other flask." Lady Daetora said in exasperation. Daine knew that if she didn't act now then she'd be out cold for another few hours. Daine began to concentrate on calling forth her magic. She could take a firm grip on the copper threads deep within herself. She continued to try anyways.

Perin took another flask and unscrewed the top. He flipped it upside down to show that there was nothing left of the elixir. "What do you want me to do now?"

"You're useless!" Lady Daetora shouted, "I have to do everything myself! If we don't have segroot then beating her has the same effect, it just takes more effort." Lady Daetora ordered for a halt to the wagon, they must have hired a coachman. Ruby crawled into the back to where Daine lay. Daine received a firm kick in the ribs, which must have broken some of them. She continued to kick her in the sides, the legs and at one point the side of her head. Daine whimpered hoping against hope that this cruel woman would stop. By the end of the beating, Daine was still awake but gave up trying to touch her magic. There was no way she could focus. Daine felt blood trickle down the side of her head as she tried to catch her breath from being winded.

Daine tried to turn in the direction of the one who just beat her, tears running from her eyes, too tired to even wail in agony. "Why?" she croaked.

Lady Daetora sneered at her then spit on her face. "Because you caught the attention of Numair, and he in turn left me out in the cold. Don't act as if I am stupid, of course I knew he was going to your sad little room in the rider's barracks. Numair was interested in you because of your wildmagic, which is why he started lessons with you then fell in love with you. Of course you must know that I am quite fond of Numair, and feel that if it were I that had your unique ability then he would love me!"

Daine was panting, the effort of talking and paying attention took everything out of her, "You think that is why he loves me? That is the dumbest notion I've ever heard. Why is he part of it then?" Daine was indicating to Perin.

"Well I have a friend who is a mage in Scanra that will try to give me your magic, Perin agreed to help me if he got you in the end." Lady Daetora was proud, and felt her plan would work.

"You can't take someone's magic, especially wildmagic, since it is everywhere, I am merely a vessel who can harbor it. Your plan won't work, just dump me in a ditch at the side of the road and get on with your life."

Ruby did not like being talked back to. She bent down far enough to slap Daine. Daine gave up fighting with the woman. She couldn't take anymore of the pain. Instead she simply let herself fall to the floor of the wagon, and lay on her side crying silent tears. She would willingly take ten more beatings if she had Numair there to comfort her.

Numair was still riding hard, now simply following the tracks of a wagon instead of using his gift and the focus. Onua was starting to get really worried. She had expected to find Daine within the first few days of searching. It had nearly been two weeks and they were finally closing in on them. They might have caught up days ago had they not gotten lost following a trail of another more legitimate wagon along the way.

Lindhall decided to try and make conversation while they rode, it had been a very tiring and silent two weeks. "I think we've just crossed into Scanra. What on earth would the Scanran's want with our Daine?"

"It doesn't matter what they want with Daine the point is that they have Daine." Numair muttered angrily.

Onua had grown tired of Numair's attitude, she steered her horse next to his and with one hand she grabbed his chin forcing him to look at her. When Numair looked up he saw that Onua had tears in her eyes. "Numair you have to understand that we are all worried for Daine's safety, we all know and love her dearly. In order for us to find her quickly you have to snap out of it and start focusing on the issue at hand!" Onua let go of Numair and fell back beside Lindhall.

Numair was taken aback by this, after a few moments of silence, without even turning his head towards Lindhall or Onua he muttered the words, "I'm sorry." After that they rode for hours in complete silence. When they set up for camp as they always did, Onua noticed that there was a wagon trail that was only a few hours old.

"Numair, Lindhall come here quick!" she shouted. They both came running towards Onua.

"What is it?" Lindhall asked looking down at the wagon marks.

"These are only a few hours old, we're catching up to them. Three horses will definitely go faster then an old wooden wagon."

"Let's go after them now before the trail gets cold!" Numair suggested seeming hopeful for the first time in two weeks.

Lindhall protested, "But we need to rest, we can't possibly keep up this pace for too much longer."

Numair looked up at his former teacher, "Lindhall, if we can get Daine back within the next few hours then we can rest all we want."

Onua nodded, "I agree Lindhall, this is the last leg of the race, lets just sprint to the finish line and be done with the entire thing. The sooner we get Daine back with us the better."

Lindhall took their words into consideration. Finally he jumped up and started packing up their half finished camp. "Well let's get a move on then!" Numair and Onua started helping, the three feeling more energized and hopeful every move they made. They knew that every step forward was one step closer to Daine.

Daine thought she had grown accustomed to the beatings. As long as she didn't move at all after them then her broken bones didn't hurt nearly as much. It was when they forced her to move that she was in complete agony. Disoriented as she was Daine knew that their wagon had stopped. Lady Daetora left her and Perin, and the driver with the wagon for a while. Soon she came back with another man in tow. This man climbed into the back of the wagon and yanked Daine up by her hair, causing a scream to come from Daine's lips.

"This is her then?" said the man.

"Yes, can you see her wildmagic?" Ruby asked eagerly.

The man, who Daine figured was Ruby's mage friend nodded. "Yes, she's brimming with the stuff, I never knew one could harbor this much wildmagic. On top of that, she can get more if animals wish to give her some." Daine knew this to be true as she reflected back on her time in Carthak when the rats of the palace had added their magic to hers, and on numerous occasions when Cloud, her mare had done the same.

"Good then. Perin, help this friend of mine drag that bitch into his house, and then he can begin." Lady Daetora had a look of sick satisfaction on her face.

Daine felt someone grab her torso, and someone else grab her feet and disregarding her injuries entirely dragged her into a stone building, down into the basement. Daine wailed the whole way from being dragged like a sack of potatoes. She didn't know how much longer she could take the pain. When they finally halted, they untied her, but she wasn't unbound for long. They forced her hands into manacles above her head. They were only low enough to the ground so that she could kneel, she wouldn't be able to lie down. As soon as she was left alone in the basement Daine thought that she'd be able to concentrate and make a shape change. As soon as she tried there was only pain. She could not possibly shape shift with so many broken bones.

Daine was left down in that cold dark place for hours. All she had for company was a rat, and rats didn't agree with her. All it would do was mock her and nip and her feet. "Numair where are you?" Daine cried. "I can't take this much longer."

Daine had fallen asleep kneeling, with her hands held high above her head. Her arms had gone numb, there was no blood circulating there. She awoke to Lady Daetora, and Perin hovering over the mage's shoulder as he was reading through a book. Perin noticed that Daine was awake and approached her. Daine spit in his face as he got close enough. Perin only laughed, "You'll learn to love me you'll see. As soon as your magic is gone Master Numair will stop taking interest in you." Perin kissed Daine firmly on the mouth. Daine did her best to clamp down on his lip in response. Perin jerked back and put a finger to his bottom lip. He found blood on that finger. Daine smiled in triumph; at least she could do her best to give them a hard time.

"I'm ready to begin," the mage said. Lady Daetora shook with anticipation.

The mage put a finger to each one of Daine's temples, and started probing in her magic. Daine could feel his magical presence within her mind, and he wasn't doing anything horrible. Numair had done this same thing when he first told her that she had wildmagic. Then Daine received the shock of her life. The mage was doing something to her magic that made her feel violated, as if she was just mentally raped. Her magic was her own and she felt as if this man was tainting it.

"I can't seem to find a way to detach her from her magic." The mage said looking puzzled.

"That's because you can't, it's as much a part of me as my soul is. You can't separate me from my magic, it's impossible." Daine laughed. She thought she was going insane.

"No that's not it, there is a barrier of some sort there. I've been studying wildmagic for years; I have found a way to separate you from it. There is something blocking my way, a wall of black fire." The mage stood up, and left the room. "I need some tea to clear my head. Ruby, you and your little friend may join me." With that the three of them were gone, once again leaving Daine alone with her thoughts.

Daine wondered what that wall of black fire deep within the recesses of her mind could be. She knew it was Numair's doing. All of a sudden a memory came back to her. Shortly after she had met Numair he had created a barrier of sorts that would prevent her from losing herself and going insane like she once did in Snowsdale, her first home. Daine wept with joy, they couldn't touch her magic because Numair was always there, protecting her in mind, body and spirit. Daine felt hope well up in her being. Now she had to find a way out of he present predicament.

Author's Note: Well there you go, another chapter. It took me a while to establish a concrete plot but I did it! Don't forget to review I appreciate them!


	10. Found

Author's Note: I'm glad everyone liked the last chapter. Thanks for all the reviews. Here's the next chapter.

Chapter 10

Numair, Onua and Lindhall dismounted from their horses so they could more easily walk through the crowded streets. Onua and Numair both looked out of place in this small village in Scanra because of their dark hair. Lindhall looked more native then they, so he led them through the crowds, pretending that he knew the area well. This was the only way to ensure some safety because there was a lot of tension between Tortall and Scanra; they were on the verge of war. Numair had taken out the focus again. He knew Daine was close; he was growing more apprehensive by the minute. Numair informed Lindhall to take a street that lead north east, out to the other side of the town.

As they continued on they could eventually get back on their mounts. The houses had become more dispersed and were seen less frequently, making the traffic less and less on the road. It was when they approached one of the last houses in sight that Numair halted the small company. "The focus says Daine is in there!" Numair said pointing at the old house.

"Why would she be in a dank old place such as that, you can tell that the foundation is eroding with age?" Onua said grimacing.

Lindhall frowned in confusion. "You would think that whoever took Daine against her will would have a more... secure place to take her. It doesn't make sense, Daine could easily have shape shifted herself out of that place."

Numair managed a weak smile, "Yes I know that my Daine is a resourceful one." His smile quickly faded, "She apparently couldn't get herself out of this predicament though, let's just hurry and get her out of there."

"I just recommend that we be cautious." Lindhall commented.

Onua intervened, "How about Numair and me check out the place, see if Daine is there. Lindhall you can stay here with the horses. If we do run into any kind of trouble we'll send you some sort of warning sign, so you can help us out."

Lindhall sighed, not wanting to let Onua go in an unexplored area without his protection. "And what will this sign look like?"

Numair without even glancing at Lindhall responded, "I'll light the roof on fire."

Lindhall was a little shocked, he didn't think Numair could crack a joke at a time such as this, and then he realized that it was no joke. "All right then, I'll be waiting here with the mounts." Onua kissed Lindhall on the cheek and ushered Numair up the way to the house.

When they approached the door Onua firmly pounded on the door three times. No one answered her, "Hello, is anybody home?" she shouted. Once again, there was no movement in the house. Numair grew tired of Onua being courteous and pushed the rotting oak door open. The place stank of herbs used for various healing, and potions curing over hot coals. Hardly any light entered the space, the only light came from torches hung in dirty brackets. Numair noticed a darkly dressed balding man at the end of the room, sitting on a stool behind a table.

"So you've come to see the healer?" The man asked.

Numair was growing impatient, "No, we..."

Onua quickly interrupted, "Yes actually, I assume that you are he?" The man nodded. "Yes we're interested in some poultices, I have an injured husband at home and I've never been good at healing." Onua lied.

The man nodded, "It'll cost you."

"I'm willing to pay." Onua said, showing the man a gold coin.

The healer finally gave in not willing to turn down such handsome pay from a simple poultice, "All right, let me just see what I can whip up in the back." The healer looked at them warily, but stepped through into a back room. While he was gone Numair began looking around frantically for a sign that might tell him where Daine was.

"Numair!" Onua whispered, "What on earth are you doing."

"That man is a mage, not just a local herb man. He seemed to be hiding information from us, and the focus says Daine is somewhere around here!" Numair answered.

"Maybe your focus is broken?" Onua suggested. "I think the man is best described as odd, but I don't think he's involved."

"Just do me a favor, go in there and distract him while I take a look around. Keep him busy for as long as possible."

Onua frowned, "All right Numair, but you owe me." Onua turned on her heels and entered the room the healer walked into only moments before shouting questions, "What are those poultices made out of? Have you wanted to be a healer your entire life?"

Numair was thankful that Onua was able to keep up such a flattering interrogation. While the horse mistress kept the man busy Numair started looking around. He didn't know what he was looking for exactly, he supposed he would know when he found it. All of a sudden Numair felt a sharp pain in his foot from stubbing his toe on something. It was underneath a rug. Numair knelt on the floor and lifted up the bleakly decorated mat, the object he so gracefully stumbled upon was an iron ring attached to the floor. Upon closer inspection Numair noticed that it was a handle.

He carefully tugged on the iron ring, and part of the floor came up. Numair didn't know if he should delve further into the concealed door. He listened carefully to the sounds of Onua deeply involving the man in conversation about his life. Onua knew that people loved to talk about themselves. Numair felt he had some time, so he pulled more of the rug away to reveal the dimensions of the door. Numair opened it up noticing a set of stone stairs; he climbed through the door, and closed it shut behind him.

It was very dark in the basement, even darker then it was in the upstairs room. Numair had to use his gift to create some light; slowly he weaved a small ball of black fire and let it hover slightly above his palm. He wrinkled his nose in disgust, the place smelt like old blood. The mage climbed further down the stairs, the further down he went the stronger the smell of blood became.

What surprised Numair the most was the discovery of someone else in the basement. Through the small illumination emanating from his palm, Numair was able to see the outline of a person. He approached a figure that was sagging down to the floor, trying to lie down. The figure wasn't succeeding however because their hands were manacled high above their head. Numair moved closer to what he now knew was a woman, and made his light a little brighter so he could see the face of the obvious prisoner.

Numair nearly cried in horror.

Daine's eyes were closed, not from sleep but because they were too swollen to open. She had gashes all over her face and her hair was matted with dry blood and sweat. He shirt was in rags, and Numair could tell that her ribs were broken, there was bruising and swelling all around her rib cage. Her lip was slit open, and her knees were cut from constant grinding on the cold stone floor.

"I knew you'd come." She croaked.

Numair was shaking in pure fury. He would kill whoever was responsible for Daine's condition. With his gift Numair opened the iron manacles suspending Daine, and she collapsed into his arms. He gently rocked Daine back and fourth holding her tenderly as to not cause her pain. She was weeping uncontrollably.

"Numair, I thought I had gone mad, all she wanted to do was cause me pain. I couldn't do anything to stop her. She's crazy!" Daine shook in fear, very traumatized from the weeks she spent away from Numair.

"She?" Numair asked, "Who is she?"

Before Daine could answer, the trap door to which Numair entered flung open and the healer hurried down the stairs shouting at Numair. "You there, what are you doing you leave that girl right there! She's part of an experiment."

"An experiment?" Numair was blinded by rage and didn't let the healer take another step forward. Numair made a quick hand gesture, flames engulfed the healer and he was incinerated on spot. The smell of burning flesh overpowered the smell of old blood quickly.

Onua came running down the stairs shortly after the healer. She looked shocked to see the pile of burned remains and charred bones. Onua saw Numair breathing hard his fist clenched, Daine crumpled in a heap on the floor. "Daine, is that you?" Onua didn't pause for a second and rushed to Daine to envelop her in a big hug. She was stopped by a solid wall of air created by Numair. Onua gave him an impatient questioning look.

"She's injured; I don't want you to hurt her." Numair explained. The mage let the wall dissipate, and reached to scoop Daine caringly up in his arms, treating her like a prized treasure that could fracture and crumble at the slightest mishandle. "Let's go." Numair told Onua sternly.

Onua scurried in front of Numair and held they went through the door in the ceiling first, holding it open for Numair carrying Daine to follow. "Numair, none of us are good with healing in the gift, do you think we should grab some supplies? I saw lots of stuff in the back room." Numair nodded in agreement.

Onua grabbed an empty burlap sack that she could tell used to hold potatoes and started loading various ointments, and herbs into her bag. She didn't look at what she grabbed, but took anything that she could carry instead. They made their way out of the house to be greeted by Lindhall who was trotting up the road.

"You found her, you've found her!" Lindhall said excitedly.

"Yes but he had to incinerate a man to do it." Onua approached Daine in Numair arms and stroked her brow caringly, "But it doesn't matter, Daine's life is worth so much more to us."

Lindhall but a comforting arm around Onua, "Well let's get back to Tortall then, I'm getting homesick."

Numair gave Lindhall an apologetic look, "We can't yet, how would we get Daine back? She needs to heal first."

"Can't we just take her to a healer?" Onua asked.

Lindhall shook his head, "I don't think we should take her to anyone with the gift in Scanra, if anyone found out we were from Tortall we could be arrested for spying. You all know there is tension about a war."

Numair looked down at Daine who had fallen asleep in his arms, "She must have been exhausted," Numair said changing the subject.

"What do you think happened?" Onua asked.

"We'll know when she awakens," Lindhall responded.

Numair's joy of having his Daine back were in indescribable, but his feelings of fury to whoever could cause Daine such pain overwhelmed those feelings. He made sure to keep his grip gentle on Daine through the feelings of rage, "Let's just find some shelter away from the town then. We all need to rest." Numair of course specifically meant Daine.

When the other two had turned to retrieve their mounts, Numair whispered to Daine while she slept, "Glad to have you back sweet."

Author's Note: Ugh, I don't like that chapter, but it was necessary (You know the transitioning chapter, where you know what you want to happen but don't know how to get there) the next chapters will be a lot better then this though. Please review, and be nice, I know the chapter was bad.


	11. Rain

**Author's Note:** This is going to be the final one. I'm kind of ending it off abruptly but I really want to get to my next fic which I think has more potential then this one. Hope you all understand. Read, review and enjoy.

Chapter 11

"Numair, we have to leave now!" Lindhall said.

"But we still haven't found her or Perin!" Numair protested. Numair had been determined to find Daine's captors ever since Daine was well enough to tell the small group the horrors of her misadventure.

"We'll have to come back to them," Onua chided "This nation is on the verge of chaos, Scanra and Tortall have signed the declaration of war."

"I want justice to come to those people, did you see the damage they did to Daine?!" Numair asked outraged.

Onua put a finger to her lips, ushering Numair to silence, "Can't you see she is sleeping, she needs all the rest we can get before we race her, half healed, all the way back to Corus."

Numair placed his fingers on his temples thinking, they had been camped in Scanra for a few weeks now and they were running out of time, they needed to leave before Scanra became a battle field and a quick escape would no longer be an option. "You two take Daine, I'll stay here a little while longer. I need to find those bloody torturers."

"Numair, are you daft?" Onua asked jaw hanging open.

"It you guys are going to leave you have to be quick," he said not answering her question.

Onua fumed, "Daine won't agree to this!" Onua said, Numair could tell by the tone in her voice that she was giving in to his idea.

"That is why you go now, travel for about eight hours until you reach the border telling her that I am simply scouting ahead." Numair explained. "I'll be fine here, I've been put in situations much worse then this."

"Oh and impending war coming at you from both sides, in enemy territory I might add, is a walk in the park for you?" Lindhall asked sarcastically.

Numair began situating their makeshift stretcher for Daine between the two horses as Lindhall and Onua tried desperately to change his mind. Numair spelled the stretcher so that is was as light as air for the two horses. "It won't be easy, but I cannot continue on with my life knowing that there is an insane women out there waiting to kidnap young women until she's tortured them half to death. I'm not leaving here until I know she is dead or has served a good enough punishment." Numair gently picked up a sleeping Daine and laid her on the stretcher. He brushed his lips softly to her brow, a silent goodbye.

"Numair, please rethink this..." Onua pleaded.

Numair mounted his horse and turned to one of the first people who offered there friendship to him when he came to Tortall. "Onua, I'll be back within the month at most." Numair gave them a wave and urged the horse to a run. Onua and Lindhall watched Numair weave in and out of the trees until he was out of sight to them.

"I suppose we better get a move on then?" Lindhall suggested, wrapping a comforting arm around Onua's shoulder. Onua nodded with tears running down her cheeks.

Onua and Lindhall started off at an even pace, the opposite direction that Numair had taken. "You know she's going to be fair angry when she wakes up and finds out that he has stayed behind," Onua commented while they rode.

"Aren't we going to tell Daine that Numair simply went and scouted ahead?" Lindhall questioned.

Onua laughed, "Knowing Daine, what is the likelihood of her believing something like that? Numair never scouts."

Lindhall pondered this for a moment then nodded his head in agreement. "I suppose you're right we just have to cover as much ground as we can before she awakens."

* * *

Numair had no idea how he was going to find that vile woman, Ruby, or her little accomplice Perin. All he knew was that he couldn't let them go free with what they had done. Numair was dead tired from this entire adventure, and was only fueled by anger, that made the back of his neck throb.

Numair was just about upon the village that Lindhall, Onua and he had first walked into upon entering Scanra, he was going up to the house of the healer, he'd start his search from there.

* * *

Daine was back in her little room near the rider's barracks. It had been nearly two months since she, Lindhall and Onua had returned from Scanra. She was still furious with them, they allowed Numair to stay and look for two insignificant people in the shadow of a war. The worst part was that they didn't let her go back and search for him, and they promised her that he would be back within the first month they were home. All that was left for her to do was wait in worry.

The first two weeks of being home were the worst; she was injured and alone without comfort. Of course she had friends who came to visit her regularly and Jon had insisted that she stay in the palace until she got better. There wasn't much for her to do in that healing period except to think of all the horrifying things that could be happening to Numair if he got caught by the enemy. It got a little better after that, as soon as Daine was able to move around she went straight to the rider's barracks and started working. Working could at least take some of the worry off of her mind.

"Daine, you've been working yourself to the bone," Onua said as Daine was brushing down the mounts, for the third time that day. "You're making the rest of us look bad you know," Onua chuckled.

"It's all right, the horses love it and I don't mind," Daine responded in monotonous voice.

Onua's face was creased in worry, worry for Daine, and worry for Numair from which they've received no word. "Daine, you're going to brush the horses until you rub off their skin, just go take a walk and clear your head a little."

Daine sighed, but put down the brush anyway and went out into the open air. The sky was clouding over, it was a gloomy day. Daine didn't really care at that moment. Horses could sense that she was upset and were constantly walking up to her, nuzzling against her in hopes that she'd feel better. Daine smiled and stroked the animals, but asked them to give her some time alone for now. Daine wasn't far from the fence that bordered the edge of the field when it started pouring rain. The cold autumn air only made the rain worse.

Daine didn't feel like going back yet, so she sat with he back against the fence with her arms wrapped around herself shivering from the cold. She felt a cloak drop around her shoulders, and then a voice, "You know sweet you're going to catch a cold if you insist on sitting out in the cold rain like this." Daine stood up and turned around to the voice. There stood Numair, strands of wet hair clinging to his face.

Daine jumped on him, nearly causing him to lose his footing. Numair gladly wrapped his arms around her, serenading her with kisses. "You're soaked to the bone Numair!" Daine mentioned when he stopped kissing her, momentarily.

"As are you my love, and I'm glad to see that you're finally up and about again." Numair responded, holding her close.

"I have been up and about for just over a month, which brings me to another subject, where have you been?" Daine said giving Numair's shoulder a light punch to emphasize the point she was trying to get across.

"Well I found Ruby and Perin, the Tortallian troops in Scanra are holding her and Perin in chains until they can come back and be judged under Tortallian law. When I tried to come home I lost my horse half way and didn't have the money with me to purchase another one." Numair gave Daine an apologetic look, "I'm sincerely sorry for keeping you here worried."

Daine kissed Numair again, the simply nuzzled against him for warmth, "You're forgiven just never leave again. If you do need to help out in this war, I'm going with you."

Numair sighed, "I guess there would be no stopping you. Let's not talk of war, let's go back and get warm by a fire instead. I'm famished and tired."

Daine laughed, she had tears of joy running down her face, Numair couldn't tell of course because she had droplets of rain covering her face anyway. "That sounds like an excellent idea."

"Daine, I know you're young and this doesn't have to be for a while, but will you promise to take me as your husband." Daine was shocked by the suddenness of his question.

"Numair, as long as you're good, I do promise that you will be the one I take as a husband when I choose to have one."

Numair was ecstatic, "Then we're engaged!" He put both hands on Daine's waist and lifted her up in the air. When he put her back down he began doing a comical waltz, too happy to let go of her. Daine simply laughed as he hummed a merry tune.

There they were, dancing in the rain.

**Author's Note:** I hoped you guys enjoyed the story, sorry it was short.


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